A first hand account of DP World’s Somaliland operations

A ship is docked at the Berbera port in Somalia. The Berbera free zone project is expected to support the growth of Berbera as a regional trading hub and generate jobs

Somalilandsun- Gulf News editor Omar Shariff gives us his first-hand account of the situation in Somaliland

DP World’s role in two African ports has drawn a lot of attention recently.
In Djibouti, the government illegally seized control of the Doraleh Container Terminal from a DP World-owned entity after the government lost in the Court of International Arbitration in London.

Then Somalia attempted to ban DP World’s operations at Berbera Port in Somaliland, a breakaway republic to the east. The attempt failed, and DP World is still working closely with the Somaliland government to develop the port into a major trade hub on the Horn of Africa.
Gulf News recently sent Omar Shariff, the Deputy GCC/Middle East Editor, to Somaliland to view the port and talk to Muse Bihi Abdi, the President of Somaliland, and Dr Sa’ad Ali Shire, the foreign minister.